Ilhong Yun

The Stability of Self-Control Among South Korean Adolescents

Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime has been widely tested. Yet one of their key hypotheses—the stability of self-control—has received little attention from researchers, and no known study has examined the applicability of the stability hypothesis in a non-Western context. Given Gottfredson and Hirschi’s claim that their low self-control theory transcends cultural and national boundaries, we tested the hypothesis with a nationally representative sample of South Korean adolescents using 5-year panel data. Consistent with studies conducted in the United States, our results offer partial support for Gottfredson and Hirschi’s stability hypothesis. We also provide comparative interpretations of our findings in the South Korean context.

Genetic and Environmental Influences in Delinquent Peer Affiliation: From the Peer Network Approach

Mainstream criminologists have long maintained that delinquent peer group formation is largely a function of family—environmental variables and have ignored self-selection into peer groups because of genetic proclivities. A small number of recent studies, however, suggest that genes are implicated in delinquent peer affiliation. Given the potentially far-reaching implication of such research findings, the authors replicate Beaver, Wright, and DeLisi’s (2008) study, among others, using a direct measure of peer delinquency. That is, the authors analyze the Add Health genetic data employing a measure of peer delinquency which is based on the delinquency counts reported by peers themselves rather than respondents’ self-reports. Even employing this alternative measure, their results clearly support the original study, providing further evidence of genetic underpinnings of delinquent peer group formation.

Epigenetics and Allostasis Implications for Criminology

The purpose of this review article is to show how sociological theories of criminal behavior can be illuminated by drawing on insights from epigenetics and the concept of allostasis. The burgeoning field of epigenetics has the promise of burying whatever lingering fears about “genetic determinism” some criminologists may still have. Epigenetics concerns itself with environmental conditions that regulate the transcript and expression of genes and is a discipline that can be of enormous use to criminology because it emphasizes the plasticity of the human genome. We know that the brain is amazingly plastic and a major target for epigenetic modification. All stimuli must be funneled to the brain before a behavioral response is initiated. Because the brain and the systems of stress response—the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS)—are designed for plasticity, they are highly vulnerable to epigenetic and allostatic changes when exposed to environmental experiences that are evolutionarily novel. The downregulation of systems of behavioral control (dopamine/serotonin ratios and hyporeactive HPA axis and ANS) has frequently and strongly shown to be related to criminal behavior. This article outlines how these changes occur, and why they occur most frequently in deprived environments. We believe that an understanding of how criminogenic environments “get into” the person molecularly can plug gaps in poverty- and control-based theories of criminal behavior. We present this article in the spirit of biosocial criminology which avers that the more we come to understand and appreciate the biology of behavior, the more we realize the importance of the environment.

Victimization, stress and use of force among South Korean police officers

– This study aims to assess the direct and indirect impact of stress on police use of force among a sample of male South Korean frontline officers (n=574)., – Largely drawing on a methodological approach adopted by Manzoni and Eisner the paper employs a structural equation modeling approach., – The study discovered a direct positive influence of operational stress on use of force frequency, even while controlling for police routine activities and police victimization., – The findings of this study and their implications are discussed in depth against the unique South Korean background where frontline officers are routinely victimized by suspects and citizens.

A study on police stressors, coping strategies, and somatization symptoms among South Korean frontline police officers

Purpose – Using a sample of male police officers in South Korea, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether police stressors revealed in the western literature are also applicable in the South Korean context. Design/methodology/approach – Officers stationed at 16 frontline substations in a large metropolitan city reported the frequency with which they had been exposed to seven classes of police stressors and perceived somatization symptoms. Findings – Work-family conflict and victimization at the hands of citizens were revealed as the significant predictors of officers’ stress-related somatization symptoms. Unlike western studies, the present study did not reveal moderating effects of coping strategies and social support. Stressors’ effects on somatization symptoms, however, were mediated by destructive coping strategies. Originality value – This study contributes to the comparative literature on police stress.

Low Self-Control Among South Korean Adolescents A Test of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s Generality Hypothesis

Theoretical propositions and empirical tests of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory continue to permeate the criminological literature. Nevertheless, the vast majority of studies have been conducted in North America and some European countries. Only a handful of empirical works have been conducted in East Asia. To further test the generality assertion of Gottfredson and Hirschi, the current study examines low self-control’s efficacy in predicting the involvement of South Korean adolescents in typical delinquency, drinking, smoking, Internet addiction, and smartphone addiction. The presented findings largely support the generality hypothesis, although the theorists’ assertion seems to be somewhat overstated.

Associations Between Body Weight and Bullying Among South Korean Adolescents

Most previous studies on the association between bullying and body weight were performed using North American or White samples from Western countries. The present study is the first empirical endeavor to examine whether such an association exists in a sample of adolescents from East Asia. Specifically, the authors examined the associations between body weight and bully/victim experiences among a sample of 805 male and 835 female middle school students in South Korea using a questionnaire survey. Results showed that overweight male students were more likely to both physically bully others and be physically victimized by peers in comparison with normal weight boys. However, no association was observed with regard to verbal or relational bully/victim experiences. For female students, body weight was not associated with any types of bully/victim experiences. These findings disparate from prior Western studies highlight the importance of considering cultural and historical contextual factors when attempting to understand the linkage between bullying and body weight among adolescents.

The Relationship Between Academic Achievement and Likelihood of Police Arrest Among Delinquents

Drawing upon a recent study on the association between low self-control and differential responses from the criminal justice system, this study examined whether academic performance, a construct linked to self-control, was also associated with the probability of police arrest. The result indicated that academic performance did have a statistically significant inverse association with the likelihood of police arrest, net of low self-control and delinquency.

Bullying Among South Korean Adolescents: Prevalence and Association With Psychological Adjustment.

This study assessed the prevalence rates of physical, verbal, relational, property, and cyber bullying among a sample of South Korean middle school students. Associations between bullying and a list of psychopathological symptoms were also examined. Finally, whether a link between bullying and psychopathological symptoms is modified by the level of parental attachment was examined. Results show that, contrary to Western studies, girls were more likely than boys to be involved in school bullying. Significant interaction effects between parental attachment and bully/victim status on depression were also discovered.

evoked Culture and evoked nature: the promise of Gene-Culture Co-evolution theory for sociology

The traditional sociological view of culture has been almost exclusively that of transmitted culture decoupled from biology. The concept of evoked culture brings biology “back in” since it identifies ecological challenges that evoked certain practices based on evolutionary imperatives. The practices are then passed on to subsequent generations as normative, and individuals best suited to these normative practices will enjoy greater fitness benefits than those less suited. In other words, practices will be transmitted genetically as well as culturally. This paper provides several examples of how evoked and transmitted culture are tightly bound (nature evoked by culture, and culture evoked by nature) as well as identifying two specific genetic polymorphisms associated with adaptive approach-avoidance behaviors and found in highly variable frequencies in different cultures around the world. We argue that an appreciation of evoked culture complements transmitted culture and deepens and broadens our understanding of cultural life and practices.